GAMES WITH LOOT BOXES FACE SWEEPING NEW RESTRICTIONS IN GERMANY

The German Bundestag (federal parliament) has passed a new law regulating video games that feature loot boxes.

According to Spiegel, each game or app featuring loot boxes, or similar in-game products, will now be subject to an age rating of at least 18, and possibly higher. 

Critically, the new law will be applied not only to new releases, but also currently released games, such as the hugely popular FIFA 21 from EA Sports – which is currently approved by the Entertainment Software Self-Regulation Body with no age restrictions. 

However, due to FIFA 21 offering the Ultimate Team mode, which features in-game purchases in the form of card sets, it may soon be subject to age restrictions. 

AYO.NEWS says:

The debate about whether or not loot boxes constitute gambling, or are no more harmful than buying packs of trading cards (which kids have done for generations) has been raging for years, without much really changing. However, now that one of Europe’s biggest markets has passed this law, which also applies retroactively to currently released titles, publishers like EA will have to take major action, and fast. Needless to say, this could cause major issues for distribution and current business models.

The question now is, which countries will follow Germany’s lead?